


The Corners of The Mind

by kiss_me_cassie



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-05
Updated: 2019-05-06
Packaged: 2020-02-26 16:50:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18721105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiss_me_cassie/pseuds/kiss_me_cassie
Summary: I have some feelings to work through. And a collection of ficlets might just be the way to do it





	1. Wanda

Don't worry, she's got help.

The thought reverberates in Wanda's mind as she sends it out to every woman on the battlefield. One by one they assemble, taking up position behind Captain Danvers.

A dozen women, ready to do what needs to be done. 

A dozen women - minus one.

With a quick glance to the side, Wanda catches Okoye's eye and sends a thought just to her. Okoye's already grim expression turns even darker and she nods. Wanda nods back then readies herself. She's going to need all the energy she's got.

Because this isn't just for all of humanity. This is for her. The one who isn't on the line with them. The one who will forever be missing. 

This is for Natasha.


	2. Nate Barton

_There's a grave at the edge of the woods._

No, it's not a grave, Nate thinks, frowning as he scratches out the sentence. It's a headstone. Well, not really that either. It's a… A marker. A memorial.

_There's a marker at the edge of the woods._

Ok, that just sounds stupid, he thinks as he scratches out that sentence, too, and glares at the notebook in front of him. 

Why didn't he write about Tony Stark or Steve Rogers or Carol Danvers, like all the other kids in his class? Why did he decide to write about _her_?

He sighs. Because Dad still goes out to her marker every week and weeds around it before spending some time talking to her. Because Mom won't go near it but she'll gaze out the kitchen window and just stare at it for long minutes at a time. And sometimes when she's standing there, lost in thought, he'll hear her sniffle or see a tear slide down her cheek.

He used to ask Cooper, a long time ago, to tell him about her. But Coop would get really quiet and then he'd get really angry so Nate learned to stop asking him about her pretty quickly.

He used to ask Lila about her, too. But Lila always smiled a wistful little smile and said, "It's Auntie Nat, silly. You already know all about her." 

The thing is, he doesn't. Not really. 

"Loyal Partner, Beloved Friend, Doting Aunt."

That's what the marker says. That and her name. That's all. There aren't even any dates, because they don't know exactly when she was born and time was a little fuzzy when she died.

And Nate doesn't remember her like everyone else does. He was still little when Dad came home for good. And then she died. 

He picks up his pencil again and nibbles at his lip.

_Natalia Alianovna Romanova was born in Russia and died on the planet Vormir…_


	3. Maria

Maria doesn't _do_ emotions. Never has. Cold hard facts are what she deals in. 

And emails. Clipped, direct emails, that leave the recipient without a doubt about what she wants. 

 

_It's hard to submit a final report when you have less than all the facts -- or any of them._

_Barton isn't saying anything about what happened, but I'm fairly certain it went down something like this: You argued about which of you should do it, you engaged in some hand-to-hand, and then you somehow managed to best him and make the ultimate sacrifice._

_Listen, I don't fault you for what you did, although the execution may have been a little messy._

_Barton's a disaster, even with his family back. Steve is… Well, Steve is a story for another time, but rest assured I think he's lost his everloving mind. Bruce isn't saying much, but you can tell his heart is heavy. And everyone else? Let's just say we're coping, but we're not happy._

_It was a call you had to make, Agent Romanoff, and I respect you for it, but --_

 

Maria stops typing. 

But what? She misses her? She hates this feeling of loss? She… what?

Besides, what does it matter? It's not like this email's ever going to get sent. They didn't exactly have email on Vormir, did they? Or wherever Nat was. Is.

Maria sighs and snaps the laptop shut then stares out unseeing over the lake.

Turns out, she does do emotions after all.


End file.
